i have been toying around with the idea of either or both aging whisky on oak
and assisting the process with either pressure or vaccum i figure only a small change i atmosphirc pressure 2-10# either way should do something. any thoughts on this?

"It is wise to learn how to ferment local products that are cheap and abundant."

decoy i ain't really got a clue. its time thats all i know, some age in bottles some age in wood kegs. both seem to work. i was thinking along the distress method. i know if you remove the air creating a vac. the air would be replaced from the wood with etho. or pressurise it and force the etho into the wood. a s/s container with a simple tire air valve and a pressure gauge. add pressure with bike pump, vac...well i have a vac pump for a/c work but i guess a simple home vac could be rigged. side by side tests would have to be run. its just an idea anyways ....i had a thought

"It is wise to learn how to ferment local products that are cheap and abundant."

Why would oak rot in alcohol? Alcohol is a preservative and white oak is pretty resistant anyway. Liquor picks up flavor & smell from wood just like any other maceration.

When you say "has anyone studied it" do you mean lab analysis? Punkin did a side by side and found changing temperature slowed the process. tater swears by it. Next time I need to age something I'm going to compare.

BTW, I just looked at that thread over at HD. A bunch of posts are gone, including Punkin's and I think Aidas's. Both were negative toward the process. Looks like they got the axe recently.

It's all about a phenomenon called osmotic pressure.
The tannins, caramel, vanillas and other stuff water and alcohol soluble, will migrate from where it is concentrated to where it is not. It is like cutting and onion. The scent (chemicals) radiate because there is a miscible solvent ready to accept their presence until the concentrations are balanced. Need more oak and caramel, add more wood.

Distill safe. Make good cuts. Enjoy yourself. Give as much as you take. Have fun doing this incredibly hard work. Be a good example. It's your hobby.

osmotic pressure is mostly it. A good shake once in a while to get the concentrate stuff away from the surfaces never hurt. And oxygenation. If you are aging with oak in glass or plastic, it helps to open the lid once a month and let some air change places. I got my black walnut to oxidize quite well and the juglone turned very dark brown because of the new air once in a while.

Distill safe. Make good cuts. Enjoy yourself. Give as much as you take. Have fun doing this incredibly hard work. Be a good example. It's your hobby.

Don't forget there are whole bunch of chemical processes going on as well. I think you can force the colouring and initial oaking fairly quickly but the rest take oxygen, copper (apparently it the catalyst to many of the reactions), a shit load of chemicals that we very carefully bring over from the wash and time. Two month old "barley squeezin's" may taste alright and be smooth but the same stuff 12 month old is a whole new ball game. Just don't force it too hard with too much oak.

Mud wrote:Why would oak rot in alcohol? Alcohol is a preservative and white oak is pretty resistant anyway. Liquor picks up flavor & smell from wood just like any other maceration.

When you say "has anyone studied it" do you mean lab analysis? Punkin did a side by side and found changing temperature slowed the process. tater swears by it. Next time I need to age something I'm going to compare.

BTW, I just looked at that thread over at HD. A bunch of posts are gone, including Punkin's and I think Aidas's. Both were negative toward the process. Looks like they got the axe recently.

-Mud

Thanks Mud, just went and reposted. Was that even the thread that Mike fucked up on in the first place?

I thought it was something in Novice?

I think decoy is talking about organic compounds in the alchohol not the wood...

I dont know, there seems to be alot of information on effects of distilling with copper v's stainles... and so on.. and being an important part of making a good scotch or bourbon is the aging on wood etc.. you would think there would be a bit more on the subject...

there are oils, esters and other bits in the liquid im just assuming its braking down or blending with the wood chemical etc.
the main thing i can see that would affect them after watching some docos on the subject is temp..

as they rotate the barrels storage from the attic to a cool lower location.

CheersDecoy..

"Artisan Distiller" The art of making your own distillation apparatus for the purpose of home distillation of spirits alcohol or ethanol for personal use.

Mud wrote:Why would oak rot in alcohol? Alcohol is a preservative and white oak is pretty resistant anyway. Liquor picks up flavor & smell from wood just like any other maceration.

When you say "has anyone studied it" do you mean lab analysis? Punkin did a side by side and found changing temperature slowed the process. tater swears by it. Next time I need to age something I'm going to compare.

BTW, I just looked at that thread over at HD. A bunch of posts are gone, including Punkin's and I think Aidas's. Both were negative toward the process. Looks like they got the axe recently.

-Mud

Thanks Mud, just went and reposted. Was that even the thread that Mike fucked up on in the first place?

I thought it was something in Novice?

I think decoy is talking about organic compounds in the alchohol not the wood...

I didn't fuck it up - my post was on topic and concerned assisting ageing by carting my whisky with the added wood chips etc around in the boot of my car in a 20 litre "plastic" (being the offending part of the post) cube. Then the Mods jumped me so I pointed out that his post indicated that he was an immature fuck-wit and got barred. I just went and had a look and see that posts have been deleted and mods have edited theirs to put themselves in the best light. That retrospective editing is what is so appalling about HD although I have noted it here also.

mikejwoodnz wrote: That retrospective editing is what is so appalling about HD although I have noted it here also.

I haven't noticed it here but at HD, definitely. It can be rectified, I am a member of another phpBB forum that gives editing rights for only a minute or two after the post is entered. After that, tough titties. Not saying it's needed all I'm saying is there are options.

It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856